Bottle cap opener



Jan. 18, 1966 L. B. FREDRICKSON BOTTLE CAP OPENER Original Filed March 21, 1961 FIE].

1' N VEN TOR. 45:41: 8. FREOR/(KSmV Mrw Arron/er:

United States Patent O 3,229,553 BOTTLE CAP OPENER Leslie B. Fredrickson, 3509 43rd Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn.

Original application Mar. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 97,320, now Patent No. 3,122,950, dated Mar. 3, 1964. Divided and this application July 16, 1963, Ser. No. 299,679

4 Claims. (Cl. 813.44)

This is a division of my copending application, Ser. No. 97,320, filed Mar. 21, 1961, now Patent No. 3,122,950 for Bottle Cap Opener.

This invention relates generally to wrenches and vises and is more particularly related to devices of the general nature for loosening and removing container covers.

The present invention provides a new, useful and improved device for use, for example, in removing screw threaded container covers. The purpose of the invention is achieved through the use of a minimum number of reliable components which will provide a long dependable life and may be made of materials readily available and which will provide for inexpensive construction and may be easily manufactured. Further, a highly portable and versatile device results from the unique combination of component parts. The present invention will also provide for a wide range of sizes through its features of adinstability.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful apparatus for use in loosening and removing container covers.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved combination of elements, including a pair of gripping members, one of which is stationarily disposed on a frame and the other of which is adjustably slidably disposed on the frame and adapted to lockingly engage the frame when an object is engaged therebetween, which coact to securely engage a container cover or the like.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a dependable and long lived apparatus for the above named purpose.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and useful apparatus for operating upon container covers which may be manufactured of readily available materials in an economical manner.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a top view of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view, taken along section line 33 in FIG 2, of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in which members 60 and 64 are shown in section.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along section line 44 of FIG. 3.

Briefly, the invention consists of a pair of gripping members of rod like configuration which may be adjustably attached to a base or frame member so that they may be positioned in substantially coplanar relationship with an intervening space therebetween approximately that of a container cover to be operated upon. A con tainer, and its cover, may be inserted between the gripping members and the oppoiste ends of the gripping members engaged by the hand of an operator and moved in a direction toward one another to frictionally hold the container cover therebetween. The container then may be turned to loosen or remove the cover.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 in which like elements may be identified by like reference characters, a base or frame is comprised of longitudinal members 40 "Ice and 41 and cross members 42 and 43. A slidable cross member 50 is positioned for adjustment along longitudinal members and 41 and has provided therein a threaded receptacle 59 for engagement by one extremity of one of the gripping members. A threaded receptacle 48 is likewise provided in cross member 42 for engagement by the extremity of a gripping member. Suction cups 60 and 67 are suitably attached to cross members 42 and 43 for removably attached the apparatus to a working surface. Cross member 42 is attached to longitudinal members 40 and 41 by suitable connecting means 46 and 47. Cross member 43 is attached to longitudinal members 40 and 41 by the use of suitable connecting members 44 and 45. Slideable cross member 50 is positioned on longitudinal members 40 and 41 through openings 52 which are provided at the opposite extremities of member 50. It will be noted that the end extremities of member 50 are, as shown in FIG. 4, configured to have an angular relationship with the axis of the threaded opening 59 in member 50. This provides for frictional engagement of longitudinal members 40 and 41 upon departure of the gripping member attached thereto from an attitude normal to the plane of the frame.

Gripping members 60 and 64 are provided with knurled extremities 62 and 66 for engagement by an operator, frictional article engaging surfaces 61 and 65 and threaded end portions 83 and 84 respectively.

OPERATION In operation, the gripping member 64 and slidable cross member 50 are moved into engagement, for example, with a container cover 71 on container 70. The application of a force between extremities 62 and 66 by the hand of an operator causes slideable cross member 50 to rotate about its longitudinal axis in the direction shown in FIG. 1. This causes frictional engagement of longitudinal members 40 and 41 as illustrated in FIG. 4.

Application of a suitable force will provide sufiicient frictional engagement with cover 71 between article engaging surfaces 61 and 65 on gripping members 60 and 64 to resist a torque applied to container 70 and thereby allow easy removal of cover 71.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A screw top remover comprising: a frame including a pair of longitudinally extending members and a pair of remotely positioned cross members securely connected to said longitudinal members; a slideable cross member adapted to be adjustably positioned on said longitudinal members intermediate said cross members; and a pair of gripping members removably mounted in said slideable member and one of said cross members, said gripping members being substantially coplanar and extending in a direction generally normal to the plane of said frame.

2. A screw top remover comprising: a frame including a pair of longitudinally extending members and a pair of remotely positioned cross members securely connected to said longitudinal members; a slideable cross member adapted to be adjustably positioned intermediate said cross members, said slideable member having surfaces configured so as to frictionally engage said longitudinal members upon transverse rotation thereof; and a pair of resilient gripping members having surfaces adapted to frictionally engage an article and removably mounted in said slideable member and one of said cross members and extending in a plane generally normal to the plane of said frame.

3. A screw top remover comprising: a frame including a pair of longitudinally extending members and a pair of cross members interconnecting the extremities thereof; a slideable cross member rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof to frictionally engage said longitudinal members and slidably mounted thereon; and a pair of resilient gripping members removably mounted in said slideable vmember and one of said cross members and extending in a plane normal to the plane of said frame.

4. A screw top remover comprising: a frame including a pair of longitudinally extending members and a pair of cross members interconnecting the extremities thereof; a further cross member slideably mounted on said longitudinal members and being rotatable about its longitudinal axis to frictionally engage said longitudinal members; and a pair of resilient gripping members removably mounted in said further member and one of said cross members and extending in a plane normal to the plane of said frame, said gripping members having enlarged extremities for engagement by an operator and threaded article engaging surfaces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SCREW TOP REMOVER COMPRISING: A FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING MEMBERS AND A PAIR OF REMOTELY POSITIONED CROSS MEMBERS SECURELY CONNECTED TO SAID LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS; A SLIDEABLE CROSS MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE ADJUSTABLY POSITIONED ON SAID LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS INTERMEDIATE SAID CROSS MEMBERS; AND A PAIR OF GRIPPING MEMBERS REMOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID SLIDEABLE MEMBER AND ONE OF SAID CROSS MEMBERS, SAID GRIPPING MEMBERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR AND EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF SAID FRAME. 